Peaches and Cream

Note: I re-edited this to fix spelling and grammar errors

*

Matt's head snapped up. He knows it couldn't be but he was sure he'd heard it. Her laugh. No, his mind was playing tricks on him. That laugh was 18 years and 300 miles away. But her laugh was unmistakable, it floated on the air with a mixture of warmth, southern drawl, and honey. And did he mention loud? Her laugh had gotten them more than one dirty look in the library.

18 years...had it really been that long? 18 years since that night in his apartment. No, he had seen her since. He'd watch her walk across the stage in the black cap and gown and accept her diploma. For a moment, her eyes had locked on his but he was sure he'd imagined it. How could 17 years pass so quickly?

Not that he had not thought of her over the years. There was the one night he'd googled her but the number of results had shocked him. After clicking, he gave up in frustration. And it would have ended there if not for his cousin's son, Dylan. At a family BBQ, Dylan had given a lesson on how to look people up on Facebook. Matt knew how to do that. But Dylan demonstrated how to narrow down the search using a town, state or college name. A college...he knew that about her.

And there in the quiet of his room, he found her. The picture was a candid shot of her and a little boy. Her son he wandered? The straight black hair he knew from college was now a curly fluffy afro with red hues. And he had to admit it suited her. It drew you into her face. It showed a graceful elegance she did not have in college. Plus it belied her age. If he didn't know better he would think she was barely 30. He pecan skin was smooth without a hint of a wrinkle. Her gorgeous smile and sparkling eyes gave her a youthful exuberance.

Her profile was only available to friends. Should he ask? He knew she wouldn't accept. There was too much water under that bridge. If the bridge still existed.

Matt took a sip of his coffee to clear his head. "It could not be her," he said to himself. Matt was restless. The stress of moving and changing jobs must be getting to him. Usually, he could lose himself in work but not today. He decided to knock off early and head to the gym. Feeling more relaxed, he stopped for coffee and to check his emails. But now his concentration was broken.

That's when he heard it again. Only this time it was closer. He looked to his left and there she was. Her body was more voluptuous that he'd remembered but she looked sexy as hell. Dark boot cut jeans showed off her long legs and curvy behind. The green top made her skin glow and he imagined gave tantalizing glimpses of cleavage. And was that really a black leather jacket? He felt a sudden tightness in his stomach.

Should he say hello or look away? She clearly was interested in the guy she was with. Was he her husband? That's when it happened. She slipped her tongue out and gently licked her lips. That used to drive him wild. Mostly because her lips drove him crazy. He wasn't sure if he had felt softer or kissed more passionate.

If Matt hadn't been lost in those lips. He would have noticed that he'd dropped his coffee cup when he saw her. And more importantly, it decided to land in his lap. "SHIT!!!, he cried before he could think about it. "FUCK!" Every eye in the shop turned towards him. Including a pair of sparkly brown ones.

"Are you ok?" One of the college students ran towards him with a stack of napkins. If Matt had been paying attention, he would have noticed her sneaking peeks his way. But his head had been 18 years and 300 miles away.

Matt stood up knowing the damage was done. And it wasn't his pants he was worried about.

Catherine stood there. This had to be some cruel joke. It couldn't be. But she knew that voice. And especially knew what it sounded like hurling curse words a mile a minute. As if pulled by some magnetic force she walked over to him.

His eyes met hers. She would know those blue-grey eyes anywhere. And somehow the sight of Matthew Raymond Walker standing in her favorite coffee shop dabbing napkins at his crotch made her laugh.

Matt's eyes relaxed. She hadn't recognized the fear in them until that moment. "Hi, Peach..."